by M. A. Innes
Making my body work was harder than I expected, but there was something I had to do, so I forced my muscles to obey even though all they wanted was to relax.
Daddy must have seen my determination because he wrapped his arms around me, helping me up so I could sit on his lap. Tightening his hold, he pulled me to his chest, kissing me tenderly as I snuggled close. When I’d caught my breath, I sat up and looked at the man I knew I’d love for the rest of my life.
“I love you.” I kissed him gently, giving him an almost innocent touch of my lips. As I pulled away, I reached up to cup his face. “No matter what happens and what life throws at us, nothing will ever come between us.”
He smiled softly, hugging me tightly. “You’re the only thing that matters to me in the whole world. You’ve always been the most important thing in my life and that will never change.”
I smiled and kissed him tenderly again. “I want to change one thing.”
His brows pulled together and I could see he didn’t get it. I shifted so I was straddling his lap and took his left hand in mine. Bringing it up to my lips, I kissed his ring finger, watching as light finally dawned in his eyes.
“I want to claim my big prize, Daddy.” I traced his ring finger, smiling at the goofy, filled-with-love look that came over his face. “You promised me that when I was ready I could have whatever I wanted. I’m ready.”
I pressed his hand right over my heart, leaning in to kiss his stunned lips. “Will you marry me?”
He’d been mine for as long as I could remember. I didn’t need a piece of paper to know that, but I wanted the world to know that the wonderful man holding me was the man I wanted with me forever.
“Baby.” Hugging me close, he pressed me to his chest. His heart was pounding so hard I could feel it against me as emotion racked his body. “I love you so much.”
His grip was almost painful as he swallowed several times. When he finally loosened his hold, I sat up, smiling at my surprised, sweet man. He was looking at me like I was his entire world, and it took me several long seconds to realize he was nodding.
When the words finally escaped his lips, they were gravelly and thick with emotion, but they were the most beautiful I’d ever heard. “Yes, baby. I would be honored to marry you.”
He crushed me to his chest as I laughed, rolling us to the side so he could wrap his body around me. I relaxed against him, letting him hold me. Pressing a kiss to his neck, I sighed. “I love you.”
He was the only man I’d ever wanted. The only man I’d ever loved. That would never change. He wasn’t just my lover and my Daddy—he was my everything.
FORD, JAMESON,
AND CODY
Chapter 1
Cody
“No, it’s not hacking. I’m just fixing things. You worry as much as Bryan.” My brain started sorting through all the possibilities. There was a lot we could do. “Think of it like tinkering with problems. Like a broken toaster. I’m going to make the toaster even better.”
Hayden snorted but didn’t argue with my logic.
“We’re just not going to tell Daddy and Jameson. They don’t need the stress.” And I didn’t need to be punished right before the playdate.
Hayden let out a long breath, then chuckled. “Yeah, we don’t need to tell Trent either. He worries.”
“Yes.” That was a good way to say it. I was keeping them from worrying. “They don’t need to worry either.”
He sounded more relaxed, but I wasn’t sure why. Had he thought I’d say no? Had he thought I’d want to tell Trent? Or even worse, Daddy?
“I don’t know exactly what I’m asking, so remember you’re free to tell me no, but I want to make sure he can’t keep coming after us. It kills Trent, especially since he’s not sure what to do because we don’t need everyone in the world looking at us the way they would if we sued.”
“Yeah.” That would be how I would explain it if Daddy found out. I was making sure we all weren’t put under scrutiny. Really, that was the truth. “I’m not sure Jameson would be pleased with reporters asking about you, and then there’s Bryan…well, yes, we can’t let this get out.”
Not when I was so close to having people to play with.
Hayden chuckled. “I didn’t think about how you guys would feel. You’re right. They’d look at everyone around us.”
Which was not acceptable because Jameson really wouldn’t like that.
“I think we have several options that won’t involve traditional legal methods.” All we needed was to make sure Trent’s stepfather couldn’t continue to come after them.
How hard could that be?
“That sounds like we’re going to hire a mob hit. Don’t say it that way. I just want to make sure he leaves us alone. He doesn’t need to be buried six feet under.” I couldn’t tell if he was kidding or not, but since he still seemed to be chuckling, I assumed he wasn’t expecting me to know where to get a hitman.
Well, I had a good idea about the process, but Daddy would be very upset.
“I don’t think it will come to that.” That might be taking things a bit too far, but the man had already stolen money and hurt Trent. “Daddy wouldn’t like me getting involved in something like that.”
Hayden started coughing but seemed to agree. “Yeah, Trent wouldn’t like that either.”
“And that would bring more attention to us.” That would not be an ideal situation.
“Agreed.” Hayden chuckled. “I just want him to leave us alone.”
That would simply require a little research. “No problem. Text me his birthdate if you have it and his legal name. Any information like that will make it easier to see how to distract him.”
That was all he needed…something to take his mind off of Trent. Daddy distracted me all the time, so it had to be a sound method of problem-solving.
“A distraction would be good.” Hayden sighed. “I don’t know what Trent will do if Bruce keeps poking at this. So far no one has taken it seriously, but if he contacts the media, who knows what will happen.”
Very true.
“Let me look and see what I can do. I was heading over to my office anyway, so this is a good time.” I’d been planning on redoing the syllabus for a class I would be teaching in the fall, but I could do that later.
“I appreciate it.” Hayden was quiet for a few seconds, and I couldn’t decide if he was done or not, but then he started to speak again. “I don’t like going outside the…well, I’d rather do this right, but there’s just so many things to consider.”
“I think it’s perfectly logical.” Daddy and Jameson wouldn’t want all of us to end up on the news, and the media loved a scandal involving sex. Millionaires involved in kink who won the lottery and escaped poverty…and who might have swindled someone else out of the winnings? Yeah, that was a made-for-TV movie right there.
“Your concept of logic makes me nervous sometimes.”
I still couldn't decide if he was kidding or not. “I’m sorry?”
Should I be?
I wasn’t really, but it seemed to fix most problems.
“Don’t be. I’m teasing.”
Was he?
“It will be fine.” That one smoothed over ruffled feathers a lot as well. “Don’t worry about it.”
“I’m going to worry, but I trust you. Just let me know what you do. Plausible deniability only goes so far and I want to know what happens.” His voice seemed happy, but I wasn’t sure what that meant.
People were so odd.
“Of course. I’ll see what I can do this afternoon and call you back.” I had a feeling it wouldn’t take long at all.
The man didn’t seem that smart, honestly.
Hayden rushed to veto that idea. “Just text me when you have something and I’ll call you back. Trent should be out most of the afternoon, but I don’t want to make him curious.”
“That makes sense.” Parking the car, I turned it off and started gathering my things as I processed the differen
t options. “I’ll let you know what I find and I’ll talk to you later.”
Disconnecting the call, I got out and headed to my office.
My office.
Life was so strange, no logic at all, but then it would turn around and line up something else perfectly. Like teaching. I actually liked it and most of my students liked me. Of course, there were still times I had no idea what they were talking about, but now it didn’t matter. All I had to do was give them a long stare, and they thought I was a killjoy professor who didn’t like them being a smart-ass in class.
Jameson had wonderful ideas.
But I was starting to wonder how many other professors had no idea what their students were saying and used the same tactic.
Making my way through campus, I had a few interesting places to start by the time I got to my office. The small room was more like a large closet, but it was mine. I still spent most of my time in the offices of the professors I was taking over for, but the administration had decided I needed one of my own for times when I was between classes.
It also served as a wonderful place to store my papers.
Setting my backpack on the chair by my desk, I noticed Hayden’s text had come through. I started looking over the information as I pulled out my laptop and sat down. The college had given me one for classes and planning, but I preferred to keep all my research and personal projects on my own just in case.
This was definitely a just-in-case kind of moment.
I had a feeling the dean wouldn’t like my helping Hayden any more than Daddy would. Well, the college might not mind once they realized it was for the same people who were funding their pride-and-joy scholarships.
Then they would probably look the other way.
That was another thing Hayden and Trent didn’t seem to want to get out. But since the goal was to keep my help under the radar, I didn’t think there would be a problem. We also didn’t look especially devious, so the chances of anyone getting curious were slim.
Minutes later, I snorted.
They would be even slimmer than I thought.
The man was a moron.
As I browsed through the idiot’s sad life, I texted Hayden and told him to call me. The phone rang in seconds. “What’s wrong?”
Wrong?
“Nothing.” I glanced at the screen to make sure it really was Hayden. It was. “I told you I’d call when I had something.”
Hayden’s chuckle seemed strained, although I might have misunderstood. “Okay, that was fast.”
Not really. I’d figured out what Kevin and Jeremy were doing much faster.
“He’s stealing Trent’s grandmother’s social security checks.” I kept scrolling through the numbers as I spoke. “It looks like no one informed them that she died and he’s been cashing them regularly. He has terrible handwriting.”
Hayden snorted. “Not worried about that part.” Then he paused. “Wait, he’s been cashing her social security checks?”
“Yes. That’s illegal.”
“Yeah, like big time. Stealing from Uncle Sam isn’t a good idea. Let me think.” Hayden paused and I changed screens, pulling up another site as I waited.
“Oh, and he’s also cheating on Trent’s mother with a woman named Bambi who lives down the street from them, four trailers down. It’s got pink flamingos around the fence.”
“How do you know that?” He seemed stunned.
I was assuming he meant about the cheating, not the flamingos. Google Earth was fascinating.
“He’s purchased a tattoo for her recently and is using a large portion of the stolen funds to pay the lot rent on her trailer.” He really had no money management skills. With all the additional income he had coming in, he should have had more in savings.
“How do you know that?”
Was he repeating the first question or was he asking something else?
“How do I know what?” People needed to learn to communicate better.
“How do you know about the lot rent and the tattoo?” He said it like the question should have been obvious.
“His banking records.” How else would I know? I wasn’t psychic.
“You hacked his bank?” Hayden’s voice went up an octave, and I pulled the phone away as the unpleasant sound made me wince.
“Of course not.” Really, I didn’t have the time for that. “I found his information on several sites that were selling passwords. He uses the same one for everything.”
Hayden groaned.
I wasn’t sure what that meant, so I kept going. “He’s behind on the electric bills, but that seems to be by choice since he has enough money to pay it. But it’s gone up drastically so he may be doing something illegal. I read several articles recently about the correlation between—”
“Wait.” Hayden broke in. “He’s stealing checks and growing weed in that damned trailer?”
“That or meth is a possibility. I would think it would have similar needs for higher electricity costs, but I don’t know about that for sure.” Chemistry hadn’t been that fascinating overall since they’d steered the classes away from anything truly interesting.
“For fuck's sake.”
I would have to agree.
“How would you like me to proceed? I had thought I would drop a little note to the right people about the check fraud, but now…” There were several other items like outstanding traffic tickets and a court date about a bar fight, but I was pretty sure we had the best options already, so I didn’t list out the rest.
Hayden groaned.
That wasn’t helpful.
“Is that fine with you?” That’s what I would have done if he hadn’t asked for a heads-up, but since he wanted a say in it, I was stuck being patient.
“Do you think his mom knows?” Hayden’s quiet question seemed to be asking about Trent’s mother, not Bruce’s, so I started digging a bit more.
“One moment.”
They really needed to get better passwords and be more careful about their online security.
“Not as far as I can tell. They keep separate accounts, and she seems to be working evening shifts currently.” Hayden was still too quiet for me to know what he was thinking.
“Okay, do it.” His voice sounded…sad.
“Are you sure?” Maybe he should talk to Trent if he was conflicted.
Hayden let out a long slow breath. “No, he’d want to protect me and would end up doing the same thing. He’d just worry more about if he made the right decision or not. But she hasn’t been a real parent to him in years, and I can’t have him coming after us.”
Taking a chance that he used the same password for everything, I checked several social media accounts quickly. “Well, if it is any consolation, the woman he’s currently sleeping with is dating a man that works in the office next door to the lottery. So that may be how he’s getting the information.”
“Insane.” Hayden was quiet for a few seconds, then seemed to make up his mind. “No, just do it. I’m not willing to end up all over the news while he’s high, stealing money, and fucking everything in sight.”
“Alright, give me a second.” Carefully making sure my anonymous tip was actually anonymous, I had the information sent over to the federal government in minutes. I also sent a little note to the local police department about odd, possibly illegal happenings at the trailer. It might not be enough for them to get a warrant, but it would put them on his radar.
“Done.”
There was another awkward pause. “That’s it?”
“It’s not really difficult.” Erasing Kevin and Jeremy’s past from the internet had taken more planning.
Hayden chuckled, but I wasn’t sure if it was a happy sound or not. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” That was the appropriate response, but somehow it felt wrong. “I don’t think it will take long before someone starts looking at the social security fraud. So you probably don’t have anything to worry about.”
As I spoke, I went bac
k over to the lottery website and started looking around. It was fairly secure, but if I poked enough to make them think it had been compromised, they might make some changes. At the very least, they should make their employees reset their passwords, and hopefully they’d take better precautions.
People’s privacy should be respected.
“Thanks, Cody. I know you didn’t have to do this, but I—”
I broke in, not wanting him to think he owed me or that things would be awkward between us. There was plenty of that going around already. “It’s nothing. You were in a difficult situation and I helped. That’s it.”
They’d done plenty of good for people already in their lives. My help was simple and probably not enough in the grand scheme of things.
“Well.” Hayden didn’t seem to know what to say. “I appreciate it, and I’ll see you tomorrow, right?”
“Yes.” I’d been going back and forth about my feelings on the playdate for days. “Daddy says we need to figure out something to bring since coming to a party empty-handed is rude, but Miles said not to bring anything because he has the food covered.”
“What about something to play with?” Hayden’s suggestion was perfect.
“Oh, that’s a good idea. Daddy kept saying things like flowers or wine would be appropriate in other circumstances, but not for a playdate.”
Hayden laughed, actually sounding happy that time. “But drunken littles could be fun.”
“Jameson said no.” He was still a bit worried about the whole thing.
“Yeah, Trent would probably say no too.” He seemed just as disappointed as I was about that. “But we’re bringing a bubble machine, so maybe you could bring playdough or something like that.”
“That’s a great suggestion. Daddy will have some good ideas.” At the moment, I had toys at both houses and things were a bit of a mess, but he’d be able to handle it. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” I thought he’d hang up, but instead he kept talking. “What are you guys doing tonight?”
